The Islington North MP had earlier vowed to create a less theatrical PMQs than has been previously exhibited and he started this process by using questions submitted to him by members of the public to quiz Mr Cameron, rather than his own.

Tory MP Andrew Rosindell, who has campaigned to promote patriotism, said it was “disappointing” that Corbyn had chosen not to sing God Save The Queen, claiming the new Labour leader was failing to represent supporters of his party who had “huge respect and loyalty” to the monarch.

If it had been the same old PMQs, Cameron could have tried to belittle Corbyn – but he certainly couldn’t belittle Gail, or any of the other voters who emailed questions. Guests on the show include the Conservative culture minister Ed Vaizey and Labour’s Lisa Nandy.

“We won’t get Britain building unless we keep our economy growing”, he added, an answer created to suggest Labour’s competence on the economy is questionable under his leadership.

“They looked like they were ready for the pot”, she said.

It was Corbyn’s first ceremonial engagement as Labour leader.

Angela Eagle has also been given the task of deputising for Corbyn at Prime Minister’s Question time, the weekly televised battle between the government and the main opposition.

The Labour leader has no problem coining memorable phrases but it seemed as if he could not be bothered to insert dramatic pauses into his speech which the audience would fill with applause. He is a staunch socialist and even sang a socialist anthem after winning the Labour Party leadership race. But shadow cabinet member Kerry McCarthy said he should have sung the anthem to “avoid all the fuss”.

Paying tribute to former Conservative MPs Airey Neave and Ian Gow, who were murdered by Republican terrorists, Mr Cameron said: “I have a simple view, which is the terrorism we faced was wrong, it was unjustifiable, the death and the killing was wrong. Those are the values that have shaped me and my political life”, he will say.

Mr Bryant cited policy differences with Mr Corbyn as the reason behind his decision to refuse the Defence brief.

He explained that his perceived past opposition to Europe was due to not wanting to “give David Cameron a blank cheque” – allowing him to renegotiate terms of European Union membership that would negatively affect workers’ rights and environment protection.